Portable folding cot



March 17, 1953 L. VALENTINE 2,631,303

PORTABLE FOLDING COT Filed Nov. 13, 1950 A? INVENTOR T l a- Lox; l/quwrms j fgz Patented Mar. 17, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,631,303 PORTABLE FOLDING co'r Lois Valentine, Berkeley, Calif. Application November 13, 1950, Serial No. 195,157

This invention relates to sleeping or lounging cots or couches, and is particularly directed to cots which are capable of being folded when not in operative use.

An object of the present invention is to provide a cot which in operative position will support the body of the user in either a head or foot elevated inclining position, and which is capable of being folded into a compact unit for storage and/or carrying.

Another object of my invention is to provide apparatus of the type described which will support substantially the entire body of the user on relatively rigid elements, but which provides a relatively soft head rest for the users head.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cot structure as hereinabove set forth which may be readily and completely folded, or if desired, may be partially folded and supported in the latter position for use as a floor-type chair.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a structure as above described in which novel head supporting means are provided, such means substantially preventing the accidental striking of the head on the rigid portions of the device, and which is spaced longitudinally of the body support portions to allow relaxation of the neck vertebrae and proper circulation of blood between the body and head of the user.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide novel folding legs positioned so as to better distribute the load imposed on the cot by the user.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing and description .mgy be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawing: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the cot of my invention showing the same in operative position. Figure 2 is a side elevational sectional view taken along a plane substantially corresponding to the longitudinal axis of the structure.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the plane indicated by the numerals 33 of Figure 2. Figure 4 is a side view showing the position of the parts when the device is used as a chair structure. Figure 5. isan end view of one of the supporting brackets shown-in reduced size.

5 Claims. (01. 5-111) 1 ;ber;2kt.,and-.26 respectively provided withbifurtion by nuts 21.

During the past several decades, physicians and health specialists have recommended periods of rest for the individual during which the body is to be placed in a reclining position with the head at a lower elevation than the feet so as to increase the normal flow of circulation throughout the circulatory blood system. Several devices have been heretofore marketed to accomplish the foregoing, but due to their high cost of manufacture, or their inability to be stored away when not in use, and their lack of other utilitarian functions, such devices have not achieved a widespread acceptance from the purchasing public. The present invention is designed to overcome theforegoing features of disadvantage, and provide a low cost structure capable of achieving the objects heretofore stated in a vastly improved and more efficient and comfortable manner.

The structure disclosed in the drawing, and as best shown in Figures 1 and 2 thereof, includes a pair of generally rectangular panel members II and I2, hinged together at their confronting edges by means of one or more'twoway hinges [3. As the upper surface 14 and I6 of the panel members are arranged to support the body of the user, it is preferable to limit the hinges to adjacent the sides of the structure so as not to unduly interfere with the comfortflof the occupant. By means of the hinge l3, it will be understoodthat the panels may be folded so as to place the surfaces l4 and 1B in adjacent relation or folded in an opposite direction until the backsof the panels are substantially abutting. Since the panels are freely rotatable about the hinge line, it is necessary to provide some mechanism for preventing relative movement therebetween, particularly when the panels are in the coplanar position illustrated in Figures 1 and}.

.Such mechanism may simply include angle clips I! secured to each of the panels on-their lower surfaces and provided with flanges l8 having suitableapertures to receive longitudinally extending bolts l9, which may besecured in posi- In this manner, with the bolts I9 extending across the hinge axis, the panels may be releasably securedin their aforesaid coplanar relation.

Means are provided for supporting the panels in spaced relation to a floor surface, and it is desirable to have such supports maintain the extended panels in angular relation to such floor. Such means include a pair of spaced brackets 22 and 23, eachof which. comprises a lateral memtcated leg extensions 21 and 28. These brackets are pivotally mounted on each of the panel members by means of hinges 29 so as to permit folding of the brackets until the distal ends of legs 21 and 28 are substantially coterminous with the ends of the panels (as will be seen in Figure 4 where bracket 22 is in its folded or collapsed position). When the brackets are pivoted to their normal position relative to the panels, means are provided to maintain the same in such position, preferably comprising a pivotable tongue element 3| mounted on the brackets and engageable with an eyelet 32 extending from the side of-the panels.

As was previously explained, it is desirable that the cot of my invention can be used to support the occupant with either the feet elevated above the head r vice versa. For this reason, I have made the apparatus substantially symmetrical about the transverse center line defined by the axis of hinges 13. It would obviously be somewhatfuncomfortable for the occupant were he required to place his head on the rigid panel members, and therefore it is preferable to provide a somewhat resilient support for the head of the user. As here shown, this may be accomplished by bifurcating the opposed ends of the panels H and I2 as is best shown in Figure 1. This will result in a pair of transversely spaced forked members 33 extending from the ends of the panel, and it will be noted that the width of such members 33 is substantially equal to the width of the bracket legs so that the latter do not interfere with the openings 34 formed by members 33 whether the brackets are in folded the edges 38 of the panels whereby the neck of the occupant will be disposed between the strip and panel for improved comfort and relaxation of the neck vertebrae. Also, it will be noted that due to theforked end construction of the panels, there will be little danger of the user bumping his head on any hard member due to longitudinal movement of his body, as would be the case if any transverse rigid members were arranged adjacent the flexible head supporting element.

It is. understood that when the users head is supported by one of the strips 35, the other of th strips serves as a comfortable foot support I When it is desired to use the cot as a beach lounge chair, it is merely necesary to fold bracket 22 into the position indicated in Figure 4 and'utilize the bracket 23 as an angular support for panel l2 which now becomes the back of the chair. The end of bracket 23 may be inserted into sand or propped against a tree or similar object toinsure proper support, and while floor-flush chairs of this nature are not generally used in the home, they are very popular for beach use or sun bathing.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided a very simple construction which per mits a wide range of useful purposes. It will be noted that due to the placing of the support brackets 22 and 23 inwardly from the panel ends,

4 the load will be better distributed over the panels and greatly reduce the center hinge stresses.

I claim:

1. A cot structure comprising a pair of panel members having substantially rigid body portions, means pivotally connecting said members whereby the latter may be moved from a generally coplanar position to a folded overlapped position, means for releasably securing said members in said coplanar position, support elements pivotally connected to the body portion of each of said panel members and movable from a position generally normal to the plane of said panel members to a folded position generally parallel thereto, and means releasably securing said support elements in said normal position relative to the panel members, said panel members having relatively flexible body portions extending outwardly and coplanarly of saidfrigid body portions.

2. In a cot structure, a base member comprising a pair of hinged rigid panel sections, said sections being movable from a coplanar and adjacent position to a folded overlapped position, the distal ends of at least one of said panel sections being bifurcated to provide spaced longitudinally extending arms, a flexible head support member extending between and supported by said arms, and means for supporting said base memher when the panel sections are in said coplanar position along an inclined plane relative to a supporting structure.

3. Cot apparatus of the type described comprising a pair of generally rectangular rigid panel members, hinge means pivotally securing adjacent ends of said panel members whereby said members may be rotated from a first position in which the upper surfaces of said members are in substantially contiguous relation through intermediate positions to a second position in which the lower surfaces of the members are in substantially contiguous relation, means for releasably securing said panel members in one of said positions wherein the members are in substantially coplanar relation, leg elements for supporting said members in said coplanar position, said elements being pivotally connected to the lower surfaces of said members intermediate the ends of the latter, and flexible means adjacent a distal end of one of said members for resiliently supporting the head of a person reclining on said members.

4. Cot apparatus of the type described comprising a pair of generally rectangular rigid panel members, hinge means pivotally securing adjacent ends of said panel members whereby said members may be rotated from a first position in which the upper surfaces of said members are in substantially contiguous relation through intermediate positions to a second position in which the lower surfaces of the members are in substantially contiguous relation, means for releasably securing said panel members in one of said positions wherein the members are in substantially coplanar relation, said panel members having the opposite ends thereof provided with transversely spaced longitudinal extensions extending from the edge portions of the members, relatively flexible i head-supporting members disposed between and secured to said extensions, the outer edges of said head-supporting members being substantially coterminous with the distal ends of said extensions and the inner edges thereof being spaced from the said opposite ends of said panel members, and means for supporting said panel members in said coplanar position along a generally inclined plane aoansos relative to a horizontal base supporting surface.

5. In a cot structure, a pair of rigid generally; rectangular panel members disposed in adja-" cent coplanar relation, means pivotally connect-f ing said panel members whereby the latter ay; be folded in either direction from said coplanar relation, means releasably securing said panel members in said coplanar relation, the ends or said members remote from said pivotal co'nnecjtion being bifurcated to provide transversely spaced parallel arm; members, resilient strips jof material spaced from the sides of said panel members and extending between said arm mein'- bers, a bifurcated bracket pivotally secured to the under surface of'e'ach of said panel members, one of said bracketsr' being of a greater height than the other so 'as' f'to support said panel members in a generallyf inclined position relative to a horizontal supporting base structure, said brackets being secured to said panel members at distances from the distal ends of the respective arm members substantially equal to the height of the respective brackets, means for eleasably securing said brackets in said pane pporting position, each of said brackets be g foldable into contiguous relation with its ass iated panel section, and said brackets capable of supporting its panel member in an angularlyirelated position relative to the other section whenithe latter is disposed on said horizontal base structure.

LOIS

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,237,269 Abraham Aug. 21, 1-917 1,464,420 Gish Aug. 7, 1923 1,929,000 Line Oct. 3, 1933 

